Forecast calls for a strong November as things continue to chug along nicely, with a few minor tweaks here and there. Turbulent conditions down at Google may bring out the bottom feeders in big numbers. As rankings drop, expect to see more aggressive feeding behavior from the black hats, as they key in on smaller fish in an effort to stay afloat. Be extra vigilant for invasive species in the SERPs this month, as the waters are ripe for them.
Outlook at Page One Fishing calls for continued good progress in terms of clients’ search engine rankings and traffic. Plenty of new ranking opportunities for those who are willing to put in the effort. Look for good catches after stormy weather.
OK—so maybe I could’ve said all that in a more “standard marketing-speak” way, but where’s the fun in that?
SEO can be a bit of a dry subject for those who prefer to spend their time on the water (and as far away from algorithms as possible). But it’s still an important one to stay on top of if you’re running a fishing business.
The point is, after an amazing October, things are looking good yet again for the month of November when it comes to our clients in the fishing industry.
But it’s worth knowing that Google’s algorithms were majorly changed yet again in November.
And as always, there are winners—and there are losers.
Here’s a quick rundown of the biggest changes affecting the fishing SEO world right now:
Google’s Latest Spam Update is All Rolled Out
If you’ve felt like there’s been more crap in the search results this year, it’s not just you.
Google has been going full speed ahead on its campaign to clean up its act. Well, the acts of those who game the system in a really unethical way.
Its recent spam update is designed to crack down on low-quality and manipulative content ranking in the search results.
What does that mean for you? Hopefully, nothing but good things.
The update should result in fewer spammy and low-quality fishing sites taking up valuable real estate in the SERPs. That means there’s more room for quality sites like yours to rise up to the surface.
Of course, it could also mean that your site gets caught in the crossfire. If you’ve been using any shady SEO tactics (whether intentionally or unintentionally) , now’s the time to clean up your act.
The good news is that as long as you’re playing by the rules, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Google’s latest update is all about making sure that only the best and most relevant content rises to the top.
Comment from Google Rep on Podcast Suggests the Importance of Backlinks for SEO will Drop
John Mueller recently made some comments on a podcast that suggest Google’s algorithm won’t always as much on inbound links as it historically has.
Specifically, he said:
“(…) it’s something where I imagine, over time, the weight on the links at some point will drop off a little bit as we can figure out a little bit better how the content fits in within the context of the whole web. (…) But my guess is over time, it won’t be such a big factor as sometimes it is today. I think already, that’s something that’s been changing quite a bit.”
Interestingly, we’ve been noticing a lot of comments from Google recently that essentially tell site owners and SEOs to stop worrying so much about “bad backlinks,” because they aren’t worth the amount of worry most people have about them.
It’s possible that this is Google and @JohnMu’s way of hinting that backlinks in general may not be as important to Google in the future as they have been in the past.
Of course, this is all speculation at this point. But it’s definitely something to keep an eye on as we move into 2023.
The Bottom Line
One of the key benefits of white hat SEO (definition) is that very rarely do you have conditions that impede your fishing trip. You know what you can and cannot do in order to achieve long lasting results. So when the inevitable Google storm hits, you don’t have to scramble to figure out how to respond because you were prepared all along.
If you want to see real, sustainable growth in your fishing business, focus on producing quality content that provides value to your audience. The search engines will eventually catch on to games, but they’ll always reward solid, quality content and thoughtful optimization techniques in the end.
If you cast your line with a solid foundation and focus on the long game, you’ll eventually reel in the big catches.
Fishing SEO & Digital Marketing
Digital marketing and search engine optimization can feel rocky, muddy, and generally hard to navigate for fishermen who have better things to do (like, you know, fish).
If you aren’t familiar with these waters, we highly recommend you hire an experienced guide—and Page One Fishing is a great place to start.
We’re a full-service digital marketing agency, including SEO strategy and execution, content marketing, and more—all exclusively for the fishing and marine industries.
Whether you’re a fishing guide, a brand, a manufacturer, or any other type of business connected to the water, we can help you navigate the constantly-changing conditions of search engines and digital marketing. Click here to contact us or give us a call at (850) 308-5952.
